New signings - where do they fit in?

[Snibbo]

Manolev can actually also play as right midfield and he frequntly does. So, he is an option at both right back and midfield. Likes to bomb forward on the wing and also scores goals.

Interesting - so would he be a contender for the first team ahead of the players we have?

Is this him:
http://youtu.be/FttqyhQVy38

[JackyFulham90]

Not many teams around us have strengthened, a top 10 finish is possible for us

[A Humble Man]

Jol likes a system where we have two defensive midfielders, two wingers, two attacking full backs and one man upfront and a attacking midfielder behind him.  He now has the people to do this.

[Oakeshott]

Let's hope that the loan players work out.

What I think this window tells us is that MAF thinks we'll probably stay in the Premiership but that he has his doubts about Jol - he hasn't allowed him to buy anyone, just bring in some short term loanees.

That seems to me to be excellent strategy on MAF's part, keeping all options open. He can sack Jol in the short term if things nose dive and relegation becomes a real possibility, or let him go at the end of the season if we survive without things looking much better than over the last three months, without having millions tied up in Jol players a successor won't necessarily want. Alternatively, if things do pick up and MAF decides he wants Jol to stay, it will be easier to judge in June which, if any, of the loan players are worth buying and no doubt at that stage funds will be made available.  

[farfouille]

I certainly cannot see a definite first choice pairing there, and that's a bit worrying.

My thoughts exactly. We will either see a lot of rotations in midfield or some of the players will stay on the bench until the end of the season. I hope it's the latter...

[The Swan]

Of the four new signings who will be the fans favourite,or the fans target for abuse . I hope all are successful.We must give all of them a chance. With so many new midfield players is this the end for the Greek and Sidwell

[farfouille]

Manolev can actually also play as right midfield and he frequntly does. So, he is an option at both right back and midfield. Likes to bomb forward on the wing and also scores goals.

Interesting - so would he be a contender for the first team ahead of the players we have?

No, I think he's just a back up for Riether and maybe for Duff, although there is also Dejagah...

[Junichi]

I like the look of this team.

[farfouille]

Manolev can actually also play as right midfield and he frequntly does. So, he is an option at both right back and midfield. Likes to bomb forward on the wing and also scores goals.

Interesting - so would he be a contender for the first team ahead of the players we have?

Is this him:
http://youtu.be/FttqyhQVy38

Yes, he scored in two matches in a row.

[BarryP]

I have been wondering if we are going to start playing a 4-2-3-1 more often. It is not hard to picture a lineup of:

Schwarzer

Riether, Senderos, Hughes, Pickurleftie

Enoh, Frimpong

Dejagah, Ruiz, Urby

Berbatov

With Hughes, Baird & Manolev, Sidwell & Karagounis, Duff & Kaka and Petric & Rodallega we would have plenty of rotation options and depth for the stretch run.

[Lighthouse]

Think Sidwell deserves his place. The Greek is getting on and may well move on at the end of the season but has done well so who knows.

[farfouille]

I like the look of this team.

Naah, I think there is a point in what the Humble Man said above.

[SaltfordWhite]

So to recap very quickly:

£200 million of debt wiped out by the best Chariman a football club has ever had
A battling, victorious display at home against a local rival and a bogey side
Four signings from across some of the biggest sides in Europe

That's not a bad weeks work for a club that has done nothing but punch above it's weight for the last four years or so.

And still there is room for people to try to find issues.

Christ sake.

[Jambo]

Of the four new signings who will be the fans favourite,or the fans target for abuse . I hope all are successful.We must give all of them a chance. With so many new midfield players is this the end for the Greek and Sidwell

No doubt they have both done ok this year but they both lack legs and energy especially in the last 10 or 15 mins of games.  These new lads from what I've heard, will add that energy to the side.  Emanualson will add pace and creativity.

[PaulJ123]

My team would be:

Schwarzer
Riether Hughes Hangeland Richardson
Frimpong Karagounis
Dejegah Berba Urby
Rodallega


Frimpong over the others as ive actually seen him play.
That team has pace and width about it, and playing Rodallega up top means it will create more room for berbatov in behind (like we saw last night) to be more effective.

I'd love to see Ruiz and Berba in the same team but at the moment it just doesnt work as we end up with no strikers to stretch the play.

[JackyFulham90]

We have competition for places now that's the main thing I feel Enoh & Emanuelson will do well for us

[JackyFulham90]

Manolev & Enoh are like permanent signings, just gone down as loans to get the deals done
We will have no chance of keeping Emanuelson
Frimpong you never know

[Bryanthebroom]

Personally I thought these signings spelled the end for Chris Baird as a Fulham player. Not sure where he will fit into this side now but very happy Bairdinho is still with us.

[JackyFulham90]

Schwarzer

Riether Hughes Hangeland Richardson

Dejagah Sidwell Enoh Emanuelson

Berbatov

Rodallega

Etheridge , Senderos , Kara , Kaca , Frei , Frimpong , Davies , Duff , Briggs , Ruiz , Petric


Squad looking a lot stronger

[Lighthouse]

Schwarzer

Riether Hughes Hangeland Richardson

Dejagah Sidwell Enoh Emanuelson

Berbatov

Rodallega

Etheridge , Senderos , Kara , Kaca , Frei , Frimpong , Davies , Duff , Briggs , Ruiz , Petric


Squad looking a lot stronger

We can't drop Sidwell or Rodders surely? So I think this is the team I would go with.